Abstract
The presented study evaluates the effect of water-table depth on groundwater evaporation (Eg) and recharge (Rg) when they occurred alternately. A lysimeter experiment incorporating a 1-year-long bromide tracer test was conducted under conditions with a range of maintained water-table depths. The results revealed that both the Rg and Eg decreased as the water table fell, until it was down to the extinction depth of groundwater evaporation (EDGE, 2.4 m). The annual quantity of Rg started to be stable at 100 mm when the water table was below the EDGE, since the maximum soil-water deficit no longer increased. When the water table was above the EDGE, Rg and Eg restricted each other and thus occurred alternately; in the wet season, >68% of the annual Rg occurred, with only <10% of the annual Eg. The fast response of the soil-water potential to irrigation and soil evaporation tended to make the gradient of the whole potential profile unidirectional when the water table was shallow, which promoted both Rg and Eg. Taking soil evaporation, Rg and Eg into account, the inversely calculated position of the bromide concentration peak was close to the actual position, suggesting that bromide tracer is effective for tracing the complicated processes of the unsaturated zone flow when Rg and Eg occur alternately. The study improved understanding of the way that the water table affects Rg and Eg in the shallow groundwater area and proved that bromide tracer would be an innovative technique to estimate Eg.
Résumé
L’étude présentée évalue l’effet de la profondeur du niveau piézométrique sur l’évaporation (Eg) et la recharge (Rg) des eaux souterraines quand elles se produisent en alternance. Un essai sur lysimètre comprenant un test de traçage au bromure d’une durée d’1 an a été réalisé dans les conditions avec une gamme de profondeurs maintenues de nappe phréatique. Les résultats ont révélé que Rg et Eg décroissaient en même temps quand le niveau phréatique s’abaissait, jusqu’à ce qu’il se situe à la profondeur d’annulation de l’évaporation des eaux souterraines (PAEE: 2.4 m). La hauteur annuelle de Rg a commencé à se stabiliser à 100 mm quand le niveau phréatique était en dessous de la PAEE, alors que le déficit maximal en eau du sol n’a plu augmenté. Quand le niveau phréatique était au-dessus de la PAEE, Rg et Eg se limitaient l’un l‘autre et se produisaient ainsi en alternance; en saison humide, > 68% de Rg se produisaient avec seulement <10% de la Eg annuelle. La réponse rapide de la réserve en eau du sol à l’irrigation et à l’évaporation du sol tendait à rendre unidirectionnel le gradient de l’ensemble du profil de potentiel quand le niveau phréatique était peu profond, ce qui favorisait à la fois Rg et Eg. En prenant en compte l’évaporation du sol, Rg et Eg, la position du pic de concentration du bromure calculée par méthode inverse était proche de la position réelle, suggérant que le traçage par bromure est bien adapté pour retracer les processus complexes d’ écoulement dans la zone non saturée quand Rg et Eg se produisent en alternance. L’étude a permis d’améliorer la compréhension de la façon dont la nappe phréatique influence Rg et Eg dans la zone où les eaux souterraines sont peu profondes et de démontrer qu’un traçage au bromure constitue une technique innovatrice pour estimer Eg.
Resumen
El estudio presentado evalúa el efecto de la profundidad de la capa freática sobre la evaporación del agua subterránea (Eg) y la recarga (Rg) cuando ocurren alternativamente. Se llevó a cabo un experimento de un lisímetro que incorporó una prueba de trazador de bromuro de 1 año de duración bajo condiciones de mantenimiento de un rango de profundidades de capa freática. Los resultados revelaron que tanto Rg como Eg disminuyeron a medida que la capa freática se profundizaba, hasta llegar a la profundidad de extinción de la evaporación del agua subterránea (Límite, 2.4 m). La cantidad anual de Rg comenzó a ser estable a 100 mm cuando el nivel freático estaba por debajo del límite, ya que el déficit máximo de agua en el suelo ya no aumentaba. Cuando el nivel freático estaba por encima del límite, la Rg y la Eg se restringían entre sí y, por lo tanto, se producían alternativamente; en la estación húmeda, se producía más del 68% de la Rg anual, con sólo <10% de la Eg anual. La rápida respuesta del potencial hídrico del suelo a la irrigación y la evaporación del suelo tendió a hacer que el gradiente de todo el perfil potencial fuera unidireccional cuando el nivel freático era poco profundo, lo que apoyaba tanto la Rg como la Eg. Teniendo en cuenta la evaporación del suelo, Rg y Eg, la posición inversamente calculada del pico de concentración de bromuro se aproxima a la posición real, lo que sugiere que el trazador de bromuro es efectivo para rastrear los procesos complicados del flujo de la zona no saturada cuando Rg y Eg ocurren alternativamente. El estudio mejoró la comprensión de la manera en que el nivel freático afecta a la Rg y Eg en el área de aguas subterráneas poco profundas y demostró que el trazador de bromuro sería una técnica innovadora para estimar Eg.
摘要
本研究评估了地下水蒸发和补给交替发生时地下水位埋深对其的影响规律。在保持地下水位埋深一定的条件下进行了包括长达1年溴示踪剂测试的地中蒸渗实验。结果表明, 随着地下水位的下降, Rg和Eg均下降, 直到下降到地下水蒸发极限深度(EDGE, 2.4 m)。当地下水位低于EDGE时, 年Rg的量开始稳定在100 mm, 因为最大的土壤水分损失不再增加。当地下水位高于EDGE时, Rg和Eg相互限制, 因此交替发生。在雨季, Rg年发生率大于68%, 而Eg年发生率仅小于10%。当地下水位浅时, 土壤水势对灌溉和土壤蒸发的快速响应使整个势剖面的梯度呈现单向性, 从而促进了Rg和Eg的增加。考虑到土壤蒸发, Rg和Eg, 反演的溴浓度峰的位置接近实际位置, 这表明当Rg和Eg交替出现时, 溴示踪剂可有效地追踪非饱和带流动的复杂过程。该研究增进了地下水浅埋区地下水位对Rg和Eg影响规律的认识, 并证明了溴示踪剂是一种估算Eg的新技术。
Resumo
O presente estudo avalia o efeito da profundidade no nível freático na evaporação (Eg) e recarga (Rg) das águas subterrâneas quando ocorrem alternadamente. Um experimento com lisímetro incorporando um teste de 1 ano com traçador de brometo foi conduzido sob condições de profundidades do nível freático controladas. Os resultados revelam que ambas Rg e Eg diminuiram quando o nível freático desceu, até o mesmo estar baixo devido à profundidade de desaparecimento da evaporação das águas subterrâneas (LIMITE, 2.4 m). A quantidade anual de Rg começou a ser estável em 100 mm quando o nível freático estava abaixo do LIMITE, desde que o déficit água-solo máximo não aumentasse. Quando o nível freático estava acima do LIMITE, Rg e Eg restringiam um ao outro e assim ocorriam alternadamente; na estação úmida, >68% da Rg anual ocorreu, com apenas <10% da Eg anual. A resposta rápida do potencial da água no solo para irrigação e evaporação da água no solo tenderam a criar um gradiente de todo o perfil potencial unidirecional quando o nível freático estava raso, que estimulou ambos Rg e Eg. No que tange a evaporação da água do solo, Rg e Eg entram na conta, a posição inversamente calculada do pico da concentração de brometo foi próxima da posição atual, sugerindo que o traçador de brometo é eficaz para traçar os processos complicados do fluxo da zona não-saturada quando Rg e Eg ocorrem alternadamente. O estudo melhorou o entendimento da forma que o nível freático afeta Rg e Eg em áreas de águas subterrâneas rasas e provou que o traçador de brometo poderia ser uma técnica inovadora para estimar Eg.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all the members of the project group for their help with field and laboratory work. We gratefully acknowledge the Irrigation and Drainage Lab, State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, for providing working space. We also wish to thank Jinzhong Yang, Kang Wang, Fuqing Wang and Fan Yang for their technical support with the lysimeter experiment.
Funding
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41602246, U1403282).
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Huo, S., Jin, M., Liang, X. et al. Estimating impacts of water-table depth on groundwater evaporation and recharge using lysimeter measurement data and bromide tracer. Hydrogeol J 28, 955–971 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-019-02098-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-019-02098-6